It Is Time for a Comprehensive Analytical Approach in Clinical Studies: Virus-versus-Host Interaction and Influenza Disease Severity

摘要

A better understanding of the complex interactions between a virus and its ability to replicate, and the host immune response that attempts to control it, is critical to define the factors and mechanisms that determine disease severity. This will also facilitate the identification of biomarkers that can objectively predict clinical outcomes. In the past two decades, we have experienced significant advances in our ability to predict clinical outcomes in a number of viral infections, such as HIV, hepatitis C, and cytomegalovirus. This is accomplished by accurately measuring viral loads and immune markers in the blood, where viral replication and immune responses can be determined simultaneously. Indeed, measuring viral loads and immune markers (such as CD4~+ T cells in HIV infection) in the blood provides such a precise assessment of outcomes that it has become part of standard clinical care (1).